Processional from side door

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So today in Mass, the whole processional/recessional parade started/ended at the side door, just in front of the chancel, rather than in the back of the church.

Today is the feast of the Archangel Michael and the angels. Was it this way because of the feast day? Also, I was visiting a new church outside of my diocese, so maybe it switches bishop to bishop?

I dunno, I see it as so informal and I didn’t like it, and I wanted to see why there was a difference.
 
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Many churches do it that way. I don’t know why, I never asked. It never occurred to me that there might be something wrong with it.
 
I’ve seen priests who have trouble walking come in from the side rather than the back of the church. Perhaps that’s the case here.
 
It was Episcopalian but follows the pre-Tridentine rite. They refer to themselves as Anglo-Catholic
 
There’s nothing wrong with it - it’s a parish by parish or even priest by priest decision, usually for logistics (difficulties walking, closer to the sacristy, layout of the building, etc.).

Nothing says the main aisle must be used, just that there’s a procession at the beginning. A couple notes: (1) there’s actually no recession/end procession explicitly called for in the rubrics, just “he [the priest] withdraws”, and (2) please don’t call it a “parade”.

ETA: just realized we’re talking Episcopalian; the above refers to the OF Latin Rite Catholic Mass. oops!
 
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When I was an Alter Boy back in the late 1950’s / early 1960’s, we (the priest and altar boys) always entered by a door besides the altar. The senior altar boy got to ring the bells mounted next to the door.
 
A lot depends on the layout of the church and where the sacristy is.
 
BartholomewB said:
Many churches do it that way.
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At the parish nearest my home the only entrance is a side one. The church is attached to a school and, apart from emergency exits, has only the one door.
edited; ooops, I thought I was responding to the post above yours, which mentions the layout of the church. But I’m sure no offense was taken. 😄
 
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